Wesleyan Soiree.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2885, 15 May 1878, Page 2

Wesleyan Soiree.

A highly successful soiree in connection, with the Wesleyan Circuit eventuated at the Grahamstown Wesleyan Church last evening. About 200 persons sat down to a first-rate tea laid in the school-ro^om, and it is needless to say, did ample justice to it. After tea the assemblage adjourned to the church, where a public meeting was held. The Eev. B. S. Bunn, pastor of the congregation, took the chair, and after stating that the soiree had been held for the purpose of laying before the congregation their financial condition for the past 15 months, called on Mr J. A. Miller to read the financial statement. Mr J. A. Miller read the statement as follows :— Shobtland Tbust Fumd Accouht.— January Ist, 1877—0r: Balance in hand this date, £4 9a Id; seat rents to dat« (less commiaeion), £47 17§ 9d • April 8-Net proceeds anniversary, £14 6s; donation from Sunday School, £5; total reoeipta, £71 12s lOd. Expenditure : To paid insurance, £6 j do. gat account, £9 4a 6d ; do. Chapelkeeper's salary, £26 13s 4d; do. requisites and repair*, £9 15a 6d; do. hymn books, music, Ac, £8 6a 6d; do. loan Sunday School in 1878 repaid, £10; total expenditure,£69l9slOd; balance in hand, £113s. No liabilities. Gbahahstowk Tbubt F»nd Account.^December 7th, s 1876—0r: Balance in baud and bank this date, £36 4s 7d; collections to date, £84 la lOd ; proceeds of tea, £8 2a 8d; seat rent to date, £41 10a ; interest from Circuit Fund, £30; sundries (sale of fencing , £2, and hjma books Sunday School 23s 6d), £3 3a 6d; total, £203 2s 7d. Dr: To paid commiaaion on seat rents, £2 la 6d ; do. insurance, £23 ; do. organist, £31 13s 4d; do. chapel-keeper, £45; do. kerosene and sundries, £12 14s Id; do. repairs, £4 ss; do balance lent towards harmonium (to be refunded), £5; do. interest on mortgage, £77 Ills 3d; total expenditure, £201 5s 2d; balance in bank, £117 a sd. Liabilities.—Stone Bros, (kerosene account), £12 12s 6d ; Benahaw, £1 17s 9d; interest to 27th May, £4; Meachem (repairs account) 1 £4 13a; total liabilities, £23 2s 3d. Cibcuii Fund Acoottitt. —Total income for the quarter ending 31st December, 1877, £86 10s sd; expenditure for same period, £88 12s 6d; deficiency, £2 2s Id; total income for the quarter ending 31st March, 1878, £98 18s 6d; expenditure for same period, £99 12a 8d ; deficiency, 13a 2d; defi. eiency on previous quarters, £22 Is 3d; total debt, £24 16s6d.

Choir :" Come let us join." The Bey. B. S. Bunn pointed out that the two churches had raised between them during the past 15 months the sum of £1270, out of which had been paid £400 of the debt on the Wesleyan Church leaving £100 yet owing. There was a debt of £309 yet owing on the parsonage. He referred to the splendid harmonium in the church, which has cost £80, and it was chiefly owing to the exertions of the Meaohem family that they had the services of that fine instrument. (Applause.) Miss E. Gribble's fine voice was heard to advantage in a sacred solo, " Buth," Which was evidently appreciated by the audience.

The Bey. J. T. Hinton (Baptist Minister) then addressed the audience, complimenting the Wesleyan body on the successful results of the special effort they had made during the past 15 months in clearing off the debt on the Grahams* town Church. He exhorted them not to stop, but to go on reducing their debt on the present building, when they might in time be able to erect a splendid brick or stone edifice The Choir: Anthem. This was rendered in a most efficient manner, the female voices especially being heard to great advantage. Miss Hales sang, a sacred solo—" O rest :in the Lord" —from the Oratoria of "Elijah." Mr W. Ashby moved a vote of thanks to the ladies who had provided the tea, the ladies who had worked so laboriously for the bazaar, to the Eev. Mr Hinton, and to the choir. Mr Tredennick seconded the resolution, and after Mr Senshaw had made a few remarks, the resolution was unanimously adopted and applauded. The singing of a hymn by the audience, and the pronunciation of the benediction by the rev. chairman concluded the meeting.